MPs vote to block Boris Johnson from forcing through a no-deal Brexit

The House of Commons votes by 315 to 274 to back an
amendment designed to block Boris Johnson from pursuing a
no-deal Brexit in October.

Digital Minister Margot James resigns in order to back
the vote.

Johnson has insisted he will take the UK out of the EU
on October 31 "do or die."

One plan he has refused to rule out, would be to
suspend parliament in the run-up to the UK's exit in order to
prevent MPs from blocking a no-deal departure.

However, the amendment to the Northern Ireland Bill
will force MPs to sit in the days running up to the end of
October, effectively blocking the next prime minister from
suspending parliment.

The House of Commons has voted to prevent Boris Johnson from
pursuing a no-deal Brexit in October, after it passed an
amendment designed to block him from suspending parliament in
order to force Britain out of the European Union in October.

One Conservative minister resigned to vote for the amendment,
with several more abstaining, in a bid to block a no-deal exit.

Johnson, who is the strong favourite to replace Theresa May as
prime minister next week, has insisted that he will take the
United Kingdom out of the EU "do or die" - with or without a deal
- on the scheduled exit date of October 31.

The favourite to replace May was reportedly considering a plan to
hold a Queen's Speech in November, which would shut down the
House of Commons while the UK left the EU, and prevent MPs from
being able to act.

However, MPs on Thursday afternoon voted by 315 to 274 to back an
amendment to the Northern Ireland Bill, which is designed to
force parliament to remain open in the days and weeks running up
to October 31.

The amendment, brought by Conservative MP Alistair Burt and
Labour MP Hilary Benn, obliges MPs to sit on certain dates in
October, effectively making it impossible for the next prime
minister to suepend parliament during that time.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, James predicted that more rebels will
emerge if and when Boris Johnson becomes prime minister.

"If we do end up with Boris as our PM then I think quite a number
of people who would have always been voting with the government
will leave and will be doing everything they can with myself and
others to make sure we leave with a deal, or carry on
negotiating, or we look for another outcome," she said.

Business Secretary Greg Clark, who abstained on the vote,
told the BBC: "I couldn't support the idea we allow the doors of
Parliament to be locked at this crucially important time."

He added: "That would be a constitutional outrage."

A total of 17 Conservative MPs defied their government to
vote for the amendment, including former ministers Richard
Harrington, Justine Greening, and Sam Gyimah.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister Theresa May indicated
that no minister who didn't vote with the government would be
sacked.

"The Prime Minister is obviously disappointed that a number
of Ministers failed to vote in this afternoon's division. No
doubt her successor will take this into account when forming
their government," they said.

Those backing the amendment believe that time is running out to
prevent a no-deal Brexit.

One former Conservative minister, who backed the amendment, told
Business Insider that his colleagues felt they had "to stand up
and be counted."

"There are not many opportunities in terms of time and
mechanisms. If anything, it is too little too late," they told
Business Insider.

They added that defeating the government on Thursday would be a
"show of strength" that could deter Johnson from pursuing
no-deal.

"If he doesn't feel he can get away with it, he won't go for
it... You can change the way he calculates his options by showing
strength," the former minister said.

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Anti-Brexit MPs welcomed the result.

Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrats' Brexit spokesperson, said the
vote was "a milestone victory in blocking Boris from
trampling on our democracy" and made it "potentially
illegal for a Boris Johnson administration to prorogue Parliament
in the run up to October 31st."

Labour MP and Best for Britain campaign supporter David Lammy
said: "MPs from across the House, and with differing views on
Brexit, have come together to stand up for the sovereignty of the
British Parliament.

"Parliament must never bow down to attempts to silence its voice.
Any effort to shut it down to force through a no-deal Brexit is a
direct attack on our Parliamentary democracy. We will continue to
resist as we have here."

Parliament goes into recess at the end of next week - when either
Johnson or his leadership rival Jeremy Hunt will have been
announced as the next prime minister.

It does not return until September, at which point the October 31
Brexit deadline will be fast approaching. MPs will also take a
break in the second half of September to attend political party
conferences.